The Canadian Provost Corps 1939 - 1946

No. 1 Provost Company (RCMP)

Badges and Insignia

The RCMP members of No.1 Provost Company wore standard Canadian army uniforms with RCMP insignia. The RCMP cap badge was initially worn on the Field Service cap by Other Ranks and on the Service Dress cap by Officers. After 1942, all ranks in the field normally wore the khaki beret. Officer's cap badges were authorized in gilt or bronze, but many officers didn't go to the expense of buying special badges. A wire version of the officer's cap badge exists, but was rarely worn by officers in No. 1 Provost Company. Other rank's cap badges were brass. A coloured cloth backing was often worn behind both the officer's and other rank's cap badges. This backing was either dark blue, a traditional colour of the RCMP or scarlet, the authorized colour of the Canadian Provost Corps. The shape of the backing followed the general outline of the cap badge.

Cloth printed or embroidered shoulder titles were worn on the battledress by all ranks. These cloth badges and the RCMP brassard were the only insignia unique to No. 1 Provost Company, metal badges and buttons being standard RCMP issue.

Upon being posted out of No.1 Provost Company, RCMP members were ordered to wear the badges and insignia of their new units ie: on posting to another Provost Company the RCMP members would wear the standard Canadian Provost Corps cap badge and shoulder insignia. As with many Dress Instructions, this appears to have been honoured more in the breech than in the observance, especially by officers or men on leave.

Cap Badge

Brass Cap Badge

The cap badge worn by all RCMP Other Ranks and most commissioned officers of No1. Provost Company was the standard issue 1922 pattern. This cap badge was worn not only by No1 Provost Company but by all non commissioned members of the RCMP from 1922 to the late 1950s.

Officer's Wire Cap Badge

The authorized cap badge for RCMP commissioned officers in Canada was of gold embroidery with a silver center. It is unlikely that many of these were worn by officers commissioned overseas.

Good view of the beret and cap badge worn by Corporal John Edward Macphee. Note the coloured backing behind the cap badge.

Collar Badges

Gilt plated officer's collar badges.

Brass collar badges.

Shoulder Titles

Front and back views of a typical embroidered RCMP cloth title.

Front and back views of a typical screen printed RCMP title.

Front and back views of serif type abbreviated RCMP title.

RCMP Metal Shoulder Title

Officer's CANADA Metal Shoulder Titles

Buttons

RCMP pattern regimental buttons were worn on Officer's Service Dress jackets and on the Service Dress hat.
Some No.1 Provost Company men on duty in London were attached to the British Corps of Military Police (CMP). These men wore the same British pattern Service Dress and stiff caps as the British MPs. It is believed that they wore brass shoulder titles, collar badges and RCMP buttons on the Service Dress. However, RCMP members did not wear the British red cap cover.

Armlets

Duty Brassards

Early tailor made issue brassard with stitched on serif lettering. This pattern has also been noted with periods between the letters.

Locally made brassard worn in the Italian Campaign. Modified from an issue British MP brassard.

The RCMP brassard exists in at least 3 major variations. The 2 brassards illustrated above are of British manufacture and are the most common of the early versions. Surviving RCMP brassards are rare and are usually found in poor condition, a result of long periods on point duty in all kinds of weather. The lower brassard and the khaki armlets were worn by Cpl. John Edward Macphee.

Black On Red R.C.M.P. Felt Shoulder Title

In 1946, a civilian badge manufacturer, anticipating the award of the title "Royal" to a number of British Regiments and Corps produced shoulder titles to reflect the new designation. One of the titles produced was R.C.M.P. (Royal Corps Of Military Police)in black lettering embroidered on a red felt backing. The Corps of Military Police was in fact granted the title "Royal" in 1946, but the new designation was "Royal Military Police (RMP). These black on red titles are therefore errors and were never issued to, or intended for wear by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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